Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (file pic)
Toronto's scandal-plagued mayor Rob Ford, who has admitted to binge drinking and smoking crack, on Wednesday said he was taking a break to seek help for substance abuse.
Dennis Morris, a lawyer for Ford - who has been campaigning for reelection despite having had his duties reduced in the wake of the scandal - told reporters Ford would attend a "facility that assists people with substance abuse difficulties."
The Toronto Sun reported that Ford would be taking a month to address his problems. It also reported he has been recorded again at a local bar, ranting drunkenly about his political opponents.
The mayor, mired in scandal for months after being accused of unseemly behavior during a series of drunken rampages, has been stripped of most of his powers by Toronto city council.
The anti-tax populist was first elected in a landslide in October 2010, picking up the support of 47 per cent of Toronto voters, who liked his promises to cut taxes and slash wasteful spending.
His diehard backers in the suburbs of the Canadian metropolis have kept his approval ratings high despite alleged ties to gang members, admitted crack use and embarrassing YouTube videos.